One of the most dangerous sources of virulent bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and others, is the kitchen sponge and 'dish cloths' in American homes.
Ways To Clean Your Kitchen Sponge or Dish Cloth
ARS food safety experts who specialize in research on foodborne pathogens, looked at several simple, convenient and often-recommended ways of cleaning reusable kitchen sponges. Microwaving and dishwashing each killed nearly 100 percent of the bacteria, with dishwashing being only slightly (0.0001 percent) less effective. And, microwaving and dishwashing each killed nearly all yeasts and molds; less than 1 percent (only 0.00001 percent) survived.
1. Wet the sponge well and microwave it on high for about 2 minutes. Be careful a dry sponge can catch on fire.
2. Wash it in the hot cycle of your washing machine and leave them there through a drying cycle.
3. Clean the sponge and sanitize it in a diluted bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach added to 1 gallon of water) before using a second time.
4. Replace worn sponges rather than reusing.
5. Avoid using your kitchen sponge to wipe up raw eggs, meat juice and other food items typically high in harmful bacteria. If you do use your sponge for such purposes, wash and disinfect it immediately afterward.
6. Clean your sponge after each use.
Resources.
Kids Eat Right, Monday Message. Is your kitchen sponge making you sick? Stop the spread of dangerous bacteria with these tips. http://bit.ly/ouJicK
Home Food Safety. How Safe is Your Kitchen?
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